MP3: Tobias Fröberg - God's highway
Tobias Fröberg's debut solo album "For Elisabeth wherever she is" never did much for me. It's not that it was outright bad or anything, it just seemed to me that Tobias was doomed to mediocrity. Sweden has a lot of talented singer/songwriters, but there's only a few who are truly exceptional. Well, imagine my surprise then when I heard Ane Brun's excellent "Duets" album. Tobias plays and sings on a good portion of that record, so I knew had to reconsider my earlier evaluation of his work. Coincidentally, he just released his sophomore album "Somewhere in the city" (on Cheap Lullaby in the US, Playground in Scandinavia and Poptones in the UK). My verdict? It's a heckuva lot stronger than his debut, but it's also telling that the best song is borrowed from "Duets" ("Love and misery"). Is it crass of me to think that Poptones boss Alan McGee only wants to cash in on the wake of José González's UK success? Not that it's fair to judge Tobias against such criteria. Anyhow, let's get back on track. "Somewhere in the city" is good, not great. It starts strong, but overstays its welcome. The last four songs should've been cut, simple as that. The recording and songwriting is charmingly retro 60s folk, nomore so apparent as on the very Simon & Garfunkel-esque song "God's highway" which I've posted today. I love that sweet harmony vocal line and the gentle fingerpicked guitar. Next Scandinavian superstar? Naah, don't think so. Talented and worth paying attention to? Yes, most definitely.
Tobias Fröberg - God's highway